- [Julie] From high-techwarfare against rockets

from Gaza and Hezbollah tunnels

to cybersecurity and troops on the ground,

the Israel Defense Forces is cutting-edge.

Now, due to COVID-19, theIDF has expanded its mission.

- A key part of the national situation

is to provide information,

so there are call centersthat have been manned

by IDF personnel togetherwith Magen David Adom

and with the Ministry ofHealth and other officials.

- [Julie] Lieutenant ColonelJonathan Conricus says

while it's early in the process,

the IDF is rolling with the changes.

- It's really an overall effort

with different parts of theIDF, the logistic teams,

the medical corps, andeven technological units

that are providing novel adaptations

to existing technologies; for instance,

adapting differentventilators to hospital use.

- [Julie] And there's more.

- Another effort that we are part of,

again through the Home Front Command,

which is part of the IDF,

is to re-fit hotels as makeshift hospitals

or centers for quarantine and treatment

of those suffering from mild symptoms.

- [Julie] Another missionis to help the elderly,

needy, and at-risk populations.

- IDF soldiers are goingdoor-to-door providing food,

medicine, and any other services

and assistance needed tovarious parts of Israel,

different low-income neighborhoods,

and the elderly and peoplewho need that assistance.

- [Julie] One of thosesoldiers is Sergeant Roni Koren

in the Home Front Command'sSearch and Rescue Unit.

- I think everyone's havinga really hard time right now,

and at the end of the day,

we're the people who are hereto help the people of Israel.

- [Julie] The IDF isproviding both prepared meals

and boxes of groceries to those in need.

- Every house I've been to,everyone who comes up to us,

everyone who opens the dooris always happy to see us.

I think it's an amazing thing to be doing

to be able to help these people

who have it even harderduring these times.

- [Julie] Koren says eventhough times are tough,

that shouldn't stoppeople from reaching out.

- There's a great opportunity

in seeing the good inthis and trying to help

because I feel like,at the end of the day,

even though we are socially distanced,

we're here for one another.

I think during these hard times,

we shouldn't take socialdistancing to ourself

and not wanting to help.

- [Julie] In additionto the humanitarian aid,

the IDF has also stepped in

to help the Israeli Policeenforce the lockdown.

But Conricus says the IDF'sfirst mission remains the same.

- First, continue todefend the State of Israel.

None of our enemies have dissolved,

and they will continue totry to kill Israeli civilians

the day after they finish reeling

from the results of the virus.

As such, we need to standguard along our borders 24-7,

and that is what we are doing,

and that is priority number one.

- [Julie] Julie Stahl,CBN News, Jerusalem.